Keep your diving pounds in Britain

While researching the exchange rates for an upcoming feature on Egypt today, I checked my usual website source for what you currently get for you pound in Egypt. Now I know the pound isn't strong at the moment, but against the Egyptian pound it rarely budges below 10 Egyptian for every one British pound. At the time of writing it has sunk to eight Egyptian to the pound - an unheard of figure in the last few years. What has always been a cheap diving destination has just become less of a bargain. And around the world it's equally grim. The US dollar is now below 1.5 to the pound compared to more than two back in summer, while the pound is at an all-time low against the Euro at E1.2/£. If it's not already obvious, my point is that now more than ever is a good time to spend your cash on diving in the UK. Despite the cold water and weather, winter is often the best conditions, and your pound will go further than abroad.
To reinforce our belief, keep an eye out for even more features on UK diving within the pages of Sport Diver in 2009.

The incredible shrinking diver...

I went for my annual 'MOT' this week with and the guys at London Diving Chamber. As the diving I do is classed as media work I have to comply with all the HSE requirements and have an annual medical. ...

Thanks Maria Munn!

I've just returned from an enjoyable day with underwater photographer Maria Munn of Ocean Visions. I had reached the point with my photography where I wasn't getting the results I was hoping for. So ...

XL goes bust

It couldn't have been a closer shave. Just yesterday a mate of mine was supposed to be booking a group of us on a holiday to El Gouna in Egypt next February. Knowing this was likely to be on the ...

Abu Nuhas at last

It was a bit rough, but we finally made it to Abu Nuhas today, and dived the Giannis D - ironically the very wreck on the posters in the current issue. So I felt like already knew exactly what to ...

Dealing with non-diving WAGS

Predictably, the (probably) was well placed. And just as predictably, we didn't make it to Abu Nuhas after all, so that's the last time I'll write, predicting what will happen tomorrow, and end up ...

A wonderful thing, the internet. Not only does it allow me to write this, miles from my desk, but it also allows me to check up on events back home. So, not only am I able to find out today's ...

Greetings from El Gouna

Well I've managed to get online, so here's the fist of what I hope can be a daily update from my dive trip out here in El Gouna. The first day has seen a quiet boat enjoy two good quality reef dives ...

First time on the Thistlegorm???

I'm off to Egypt tomorrow to spend a week diving in El Gouna. With no particular dives planned, I'm keen to know whether I'll be making my first dive on the Thistlegorm. After about half a dozen ...

Try it, it's free!

Well, the first Scubapro-Uwatec diving weekend of the summer has been and gone. Just two dives were cancelled, and under five layers of clothing the weather could almost be described as ...

Fingers crossed for this weekend!

It's the first of two summer Scubapro-Uwatec diving weekends this Saturday and Sunday at Wittering on the south coast. I spoke to Wittering Divers today who are hosting the event and there's still ...

Strange looks...

If there's one way to guarantee strange looks as a diver, it's emerging from a lake to see a shocked family feeding ducks stopping to stare. Excited comments about the size of the eel you just saw ...

14 days and counting

Yes, two weeks today I will be leaving the UK behind for seven days and heading off to the Red Sea for my first liveaboard trip! It's one trip I'm probably looking forward to more than most - the ...

Beaver Contour drysuit comes up trumps

If you've been following my updates in the mag on the Beaver Contour drysuit in Long Term Test, you'll be aware I signed off in February with an end of term report that ended on a bit of an edge. ...

First dive of 2008

It took until the 28th of January, but I've finally got back in the water for the first dive of 2008. It was a sunny, but very chilly day at Gildenburgh on the 28th when the Test Team gathered to put ...